Week 4 of NaNo

Wow, it is day 24 of National Novel Writing Month (NaNo)! And it is the last Tuesday in November. The word count total for today is 40,008 for the traditional 1,667 words a day.

I can't believe that NaNo is almost over. With Day 30 coming, I'm already beginning to think about my editing process and how I can improve this NaNo project.

But first, I'll take a break in December. Put the novel in a drawer, and let it sit. Maybe start planning a new project. But I will not think about the current project until I open that drawer and read it. Hopefully by then, I will forget that I wrote it and I can see the novel with fresh eyes.

While the length of time varies for me when I can forget that I wrote a novel from a few months to years, it is a necessary part of the writing process for me. If I can remember where I was when I wrote a scene, or how I reacted to a surprise twist or character reveal, then the novel needs to go back in the drawer. I need to approach reading the novel like I've never encountered it before.

There are still 6 days left in the challenge. Every word is one more than you had in October, each one a victory. 

Save your work and back it up. How are you doing with your NaNo goals? How long do you wait between writing "the end" and beginning to edit?

Happy writing!